Probe into graft under Soeharto govt starts
JAKARTA (JP): The government has launched an investigation into corruption under former president Soeharto but has no plans to specifically target the former Indonesian leader, Attorney General Soedjono C. Atmonegoro told a packed news conference here yesterday.
Soedjono said that although the probe did not specifically target the Soeharto family, the investigation would cover its business dealings.
"The former president may be summoned, if necessary, to verify and check evidence in cooperation with other state agencies," Deputy Attorney General Ismudjoko added.
Ismudjoko said his office would not impose a travel ban on Soeharto or any of his family members, pointing out that his office had received guarantees they would not leave Indonesia.
Ismudjoko said that while the investigation was very urgent, it would take some time to complete as the work would involve the checking of many documents related to a large number of business deals.
"What is most important is that we should always maintain national unity," Ismudjoko added.
"The investigations are being conducted under the principle of the presumption of innocence," Soedjono asserted.
Critics and analysts have alleged that nepotism, corruption and crony capitalism lie at the root of the economic crisis the nation has faced for 10 months and have demanded that the businesses of the Soeharto family, cronies and other senior officials be investigated.
Soeharto, who abruptly resigned from the presidency on May 21 under strong pressure from the House of Representatives, his cabinet ministers and demonstrating students, has been accused of amassing tens of billions of dollars from corruption, collusion and numerous shady business deals.
Leading opposition figure Amien Rais called on Soeharto over the weekend to donate 95 percent of his wealth to the state in return for complete forgiveness from the people so that the government should not have to beg for aid from international agencies and institutions.
The secretary-general of the National Commission on Human Rights, Baharuddin Lopa, said yesterday that Soeharto must be prosecuted if there is adequate evidence to prove his wrongdoing.
Any corruption case should be handled in accordance with the law, no matter who is involved in the malfeasance, Lopa said.
"If he or she is proven guilty, all of the wealth obtained through corruption must be confiscated for the state," he added.
Lopa said the "solution" offered by Amien was not educative, was against the law and could create the feeling of legal uncertainty.
President B.J. Habibie could give Soeharto amnesty, but this could only be granted after Soeharto's accountability is completed, according to Lopa.
Lopa is also a member of Gempita, the Movement of Concerned Citizens on State Assets, which was established last week to collect data on ill-gotten wealth and assets.
Rp 200 trillion
The Indonesian Business Data Center (PDBI) announced yesterday it estimated the wealth of former president Soeharto, his family and its close associates at Rp 200 trillion (US$17.5 billion).
Executive director Christianto Wibisono told reporters yesterday the amount included the assets of Soeharto's foundations under the Nusamba group, a diversified group managed by Soeharto's closest crony Mohamad "Bob" Hasan.
"What I mean by cronies here are those who are clearly close to him such as Salim (Salim Group's founder and chairman Lim Sioe Liong) and Bob Hasan," Christianto said.
PDBI's study values several major businesses, in which Soeharto's six children and foundations are involved, at Rp 16.9 trillion, with equity totaling Rp 5.32 trillion.
These include daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana's toll road projects worth Rp 1.39 trillion, son Sigit Hardjojudanto's chemical businesses worth Rp 628.71 billion, son Bambang Trihatmodjo's diversified Bimantara Group worth Rp 2.72 trillion, and son Hutomo (Tommy) Mandala Putra's transportation and automotive businesses worth Rp 3.7 trillion.
According to PDBI, the family's major foreign investment ventures (with foreign partners) total at least US$15.23 billion, including $3.16 billion in equity.
This includes US$1.89 million worth of Hardijanti's highway, energy, hotel and pulp projects, $6 billion worth of Bimantara's satellite and chemical projects and $1.16 billion worth of power projects owned by daughter Siti Hediati Harijadi.
Christianto said most of the wealth had been accumulated through business deals full of collusion, corruption and nepotism such as monopolies, rent-seeking practices and oligopolies.
Companies and foundations controlled by Soeharto's empire had also been given special privileges to win tenders or to get jobs from state firms, including oil company Pertamina and energy company PLN, he said.
Christianto said, however, crony business practices and special privileges had not been the monopoly of the Soeharto family and cronies.
He said many senior officials such as ministers, governors, regents and mayors also had amassed wealth through corruption, collusion and nepotism during Soeharto's 32 years in power. (das/byg/sim)